Tuesday, November 10, 2015

“Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice…, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day… Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you; Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you…, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen.”

(D&C 27:15-18)

There are many examples of different warriors throughout history that we can follow and be inspired by. No one is exempt from needing armor in this life. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, what calling you hold, or whether or not you have been to the temple. We are all warriors in the

battle against Satan. The only time that we can put our armor down is when our battle is over and we go home to our Savior. How amazing it would be if He can say, “Well Done.”

Monday, October 12, 2015

One day my daughter was playing an arrangement on the piano that included the melody of the song,

“A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.” That song has always been familiar to me (so I thought), and I have known the story about how John Taylor sang it in the Carthage Jail before Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed. However, at that moment I realized that I didn’t know what the song really meant. So I sat at my piano and studied all of the verses. I was struck very deeply when I realized the full meaning of the song.

The first verse says: “A poor wayfaring Man of grief Hath often crossed me on my way, Who sued so humbly for relief That I could never answer nay. I had not pow’r to ask his name, Whereto he went, or whence he came; Yet there was something in his eye That won my love; I knew not why.”

In each verse after that the suffering stranger needs help, and the man who is speaking always gives assistance and is blessed in return. In the sixth verse when the poor man is in prison he asks, “if I for him would die; The flesh was weak, my blood ran chill, But my free spirit cried, ‘I will!’” In the final verse the stranger reveals himself at last as the Savior.

I knew I had to attempt a portrait of “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.”

“Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice…, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day… Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you; Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you…, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen. (D&C 27:15-18)

There are many examples of different warriors throughout history that we can follow and be inspired by. No one is exempt from needing armor in this life.

It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, what calling you hold, or whether or not you have been to the temple. We are all warriors in the battle against Satan.

The only time that we can put our armor down is when our battle is over and we go home to our Savior.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Once upon a time…Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to be taxed. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn. Angels announced his birth to shepherds, and so they went with haste to see the baby. Wise men were directed by a star to Jesus, and they brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This is Our Story of Christmas. It is likely the most commonly told story of Jesus from the New Testament, especially by children. As we celebrate Christmas in December, it is a long lasting tradition for many to act out the precious story of Jesus Christ’s birth. Assignments are given, costumes are found, a manger is built, songs are learned, and the story is told. When I was staging the nativity scene for my painting, I realized that historical accuracy is not usually the priority in a nativity production. At first, I worried about things like the lantern that was being used, as well as whether or not to include the wise men. But then I realized that it didn’t matter, because I wanted to portray the story that we tell. Our Story of Christmas helps us understand the significance and feel the spirit of this event. Jesus Christ was born in the most humble circumstances, but he was born to be the light of the world. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

About Me

I consider myself a full-time mom and a part-time artist. I try really hard to balance my time as a mom so that I have time to paint. With four children sometimes that works out, and sometimes it doesn't as much as I would like. Through the years I have painted mostly with watercolor, but have recently decided to focus more on oils. I love that watercolors can have a life of their own if you let them, but I am also excited about the new challenge to develop my oil painting skills. My favorite things to paint are people and LDS temples. I am very blessed to have a wonderful husband who supports me in what I love to do.